RADIO OF TO-DAY

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 10, 20 September 1929, Unnumbered Page

RADIO OF TO-DAY

The introduction of the all-eleciric ‘receiver has given radio a tremendous | impetus. A radio receiver is no longer an annoying disfigurement to the home or a collection of troubles. Its simplification has rendered it able to be operated by all; its power has given ; tone and its operation reliability. What more can be desired ? FF cegnes ree epmmmnaneinee ane

sADIO has rapidly outgrown its ‘infancy. A few years ago it was a doubtful, unheard-of ex--periment. A few brilliant scholars and_ scientista’ were dabbling with something new about which the world knew nothing, and about which they cared less. They were soon to recognise, » however, that this new science was to mean to the world one of the most outstanding and most brilliant discoveries that its experimenters has ever given to it. :

The growth of radio since its inception some 30 years ago has: been more than’ phenomenal. . Within. 10 years it has left the laboratory and spread over the world: as. some rapidly moving force until it is now a necessity to every home. Some three years ago radio, although popular, was, in another sense, very unpopular. Just at this time it was entering’ the home, and there making a very. great . muisance of itself, Crude, heavy apparatus was’ strewn about, rough signals were being handled by inadequate. apparatus, experimenters were keenly wrapped up in hearing morse or even scraps of . telephony coming over the_air, Throaty horn speakers annoyed all except the experimenter who.was wrapped in this growing science. This was certainly a step forward, . ‘but radio was not yet popular. . It had left the laboratory, and was at the home experimenter stage. Its development henceforth was > even more rapid, and within these last few years, wireless has beconiec part of our very lives. The rapid growth signifies that it is not a transient fancy. a, HE question of power for radio has been one that has caused a ~ . great deal of concern. On one side high voltage was necessary; on the other a great deal of current at a low voltage, but this had to be absolutely smooth. To meet the demand of high power, batteries were rapidly perfected, and to meet the low steady current drain, ‘the accumulator came into being. With the rapid A.C. reticulation of even most outlying districts, battery chargers and battery climinators found their way into the homes with radio receivers. ' ABOUT 12 months ‘ago, the cry "electrify your set’? was heard. Eliminators ‘meant greater power, greater power meant better valves-power valves that could handle almost unlimited current

4 without the slightest trace of distortion were evolved to fill a need. Prior to this, the general purpose valve was found in each stage of the radio receiver, but now, as more specialised power became available, ‘more specialised valves could be evolved to fill the respective places in a set. ; Radio for the home then moved on yet faster; battery chargers and eliminators, were reasonably priced, and easily handled, and they gave radio a greater impetus. Still many were not satisfied. They said, "We do not want to be bothered: with

"messy batteries and eliminators from which you can get a nasty shock. The battery is Always’ running down and has to be re-charged, ‘and re-charging is inconvenient." They added, thinking that it, would never be fulfilled, "‘All-we want to do is touch the button and it plays." HEY little thought how close that day. was. It ig to-day. Wherever electric power is available, electric: radio receivers, which, if of a good quality, are almost troubleless, :can be installed. There are neither messy batteries nor dangerous eliminators, Everything is enclosed within a’ metal-bound cabinet, and'this is earthed. Danger of shock even although’ 450 volts may be. put ‘upon the last valve, is reduced to an almost negligible minimum. Problems of sensitivity and selectivity have likewise been met and dealt with, and the overbearing local station is no longer the annoyance of all who are under its shadow. Distant stations can be brought in-at good strength, and their programmes enjoyed. Our columns frequently contain letters of listeners who enjoy American and Japanese transmissions. WitTH the rapid improvement of the audio side of the receiver and the introduction of the gramophone pick-up, listeners can. have at their will the programme provided bya range of stations, or that provided from their gramophone. Even a cheap portable. machine may be converted into an electric panatrope by the addition of a pickup. A fine class of music comes over the air, and this must have a definite bearing on the musical tastes of its listeners, and where perfect reproduction both from gramophone and wireless set is possible, this can have only one effect, and that an elevating one. HE future of radio is a bright one, though it has been said, ""What will come in ‘after radio goes out’ Radio will never go out, it cannot. It will be improved, though even now it appears almost to be perfect. "Ns